Work holder apparatus



3,189,340 WRK HOLEER APPARATUS Frederick li'. Desel, Baltimore, Md.,assigner to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., acorporation of Pennsylvania Filed May 5, 1961, Ser. No. 108,161 2Claims. (Cl. 269-20) The present invention relates to work holderapparatus and more particularly to apparatus as suited for use in alow-distortion hanged-axle heat treating method and apparatus such asdisclosed and described in copending United States patent applicationSerial No. 5,143 filed January 28, 1960, now abandoned and from whichcontinuation application Serial No. 239,415 was filed November 2.0,1962, both assigned to the assignee of the present application.

In low-distortion heat treating apparatus as heretofore employed forperforming the method as set forth in the above-identified patentapplication, a clamping means is employed which is operated initially tofirmly clamp a face of the axle flange .against a surface, eithercontinuous or interrupted, which is perpendicular to the axis of alignedaxially-spaced-apart shaft centering means, while such shaft is heldlocated coaxially with said centering means at its opposite ends.Subsequently, during scanning of the axle by induction heating coil andquench means, such clamping means maintains the axle ange firmly clampedas above, while the axle and clamping means are caused to rotate aboutthe axis of the centering means.

It is a prime object of the present invention to provide an improvedaxle iiange clamping apparatus for lowdistortion iianged axle heattreating apparatus of the aforedescribed type.

In accord with the preceding object, it is another object of the presentinvention to provide an axle ange clamping apparatus which facilitatesintroduction and removal of the flanged axle prior to and following heattreatment, respectively.

. Other objects and advantages of the invention wil-l become apparentfrom the following description when taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan View, partly in outline and partly in section, of theflange clamping apparatus embodying the invention; and

FIGURE 2 is an end elevation view partially brokenaway, of the flangeclamping apparatus as viewed in the direction of arrow 2 in FIG. 1, withparts of the workpiece shown in phantom outline.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 in the drawing, the improved flange clampingapparatus of the present invention as exemplified herein comprises arotatable axle-hangeaccommodating member 1 which is mounted on rollerbearings 2 which in turn are mounted on an immobile member 3 associatedwith the frame (not shown) of the `axle heat treating apparatus in whichsuch clamping apparatus is embodied. Member 1, as shown, preferably isof generally cylindrical configuration and is provided with a centralcavity 4 to accommodate disposition of the liange 5 of a flanged axleworkpiece 6 which is to undergo heat treatment. A central opening 7extends outwardly from cavity 4 through the member 1 to permit the shaftportion 8 of the fianged axle workpiece 6 to project outwardlytherethrough to a centering means 9 in form of a yieldable centering pincooperable with the shaft end remote from the iiange 5. To provide forlocation of the inner annular face 10 of the flange 5 of the anged axleworkpiece 6, the member 1 is provided with a finished annular surface 11which extends radially outward from the opening 7. A tapered pin member12 y United States Patent O 3,189,340 Patented lune 15, 1365 ICC alignedwith centering means 9, is provided which is slidably mounted formovement in an axial direction within a bore 13 in member 1 foractuation. by such as fluid pressure piston means 14 into abutment witha tapered central recess 15 in the flanged end of the axle workpiece 6to force its iiange 5 into contact with annular surface 11 at iangefaceltl while holding such flange centered with respect to the axis ofaligned pin member 12 and the centering means 9, which also preferably'takes the form of a tapered pin as shown.

In accord with a prime feature of the invention, referring to FIG. 2,the cavity 4 in the axle-flange-accommodating member 1 is generallycylindrical in shape, as defined by a peripheral wall 17, to permitcoaxial disposition of flange 5 therein with `slight radial clearance,and such cavity opens outwardly through member 1 in aiange-accommodating portal 18 of a width which is equal to the diameterof cylindrical wall 17 and is defined by parallel spaced-apart sidewalls 19 and 20.

The iiange-locating surface 11 and opening 7 of member 1 are formed` ina rigid, relatively thick, abutment modating slot 23 of width as definedby edge walls 24 and 25 greater than the diameter of the shaft portion 8of the flanged axle workpiece 6. The shaft-accommodating slot 23registers centrally with the flange-accommodating portal 18 and extendsin an axialwise direction i into merger therewith. Theannularflange-locating surface 11 of portion 22 is interrupted only at the slot23.

Referring to FIG. 1, the width of the cavity 4 and portal 18 betweenabutment portion 22 and the portion 28 of member 1 through which member12 extends is greater than the thickness of the workpiece flange 5 toafford freedom for axialwise manipulation of the anged axle workpiecewhen its flange is disposed in such cavity.

In operation, the flanged axle workpiece 6 will be disposed parallel tothe axis 33, with its iiange 5 in alignment with portal 18, and advancedto a position of alignment with such axis; the portal 18 of member 1permitting entrance ofthe workpiece flange 5 into the cavity 4, whilethe slot 23 permitsl the workpiece shaft 8 to enter the opening 7.

Following such introduction of the iianged axle workpiece, the pistonmean 14 is operated to cause the member 12 to move axialwise from aretracted position, indicated by the dot-and-dash `outline 32 of itstapered end, to the position shown in FIG. 1 in centering andthrusttransmitting Contact with the wall of the central tapered recess15 in the flanged end of workpiece 6. During such movement of member 12,the shaft is advanced longitudinally into centering contact with theyieldable centering pin 9, the conical end of which slides into aconical recess .-30 in the center `of the shaft end, and the flange 5 ofaxle workpiece 6 is clamped into contact with the abutment portionsurface 11 of member 1 by considerable force, 1,000 to 1,500 pounds, forexample, to assure that the flange 5 of workpiece 6 will be stronglyurged toward a position of perpendicularity with respect to the axis 33along which opposite ends of the axle 6 are centered. The yieldableaspect of the centering pin 9 permits axialwise movement of the shaftportion 3 of the workpiece 6 during such flange-clamping movement of themember 12.

The clamping force applied by member 12 to the flange S urging sameagainst surface `11 is of a magnitude capable of forcing such iiange to`assume the proper perpendicular attitude with respect to the axis 33,and this force is maintained during, for example, subsequent axialwiseareas/io @D scanning of the workpiece by an induction heating coil andquench nozzles (not shown), for heat treatment of the workpiece.

Following such heat treatment, the piston means 14 is released forretraction of the member 12 and unclamping of the iiange of the quenchedworkpiece 6 which is then removed from the apparatus by passage of suchflange and immediately-adjacent shaft portion S outwardly through portal1S and slot 23, respectively. Simultaneous or subsequent axialwisemovement of the axle workpiece 6 permits the projecting shaft portionthereof to be freed of the iniiuence of tapered centering pin 9 whichassumes a fully extended position defined by engagement with a stop 3Sunder influence of such as a spring 36 which affords the yieldab-ilityof such pin 9. Y With respect to the feature of the invention asincluding the novel generally-cylindrical rotatable flange clampingmember 1vhaving portal 1S for radialwise entry of the workpiece flangeinto cavity 4 and slot 25 for similar entry of the workpiece shaft intoopening 7, although such member as exemplified is axially immobile andthe clamping force is initiated through the medium of the axiallymovablemember 12, it will be appreciated that it is the relative movementbetween these members 1 and 12 which effects the clamping action andthat the same result might be obtained, at expense of somewhat addedcomplexity, by axial movement of member 1 while member 12 is held fixed.

While the invention has been described with a degree of particularity,it will be apparent that it is intended to embrace minor modificationswhich will occur to those versed in the art without departing from thespirit and scope of such invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. Rotary work holder apparatus for an elongated workpiece having aflange at one end, comprising a generally cylindrical rotatable memberhaving a cylindrical flangeeaccommodating cavity for disposition of theflange of the workpiece and having a circumferentially-distributedinwardly-extending radial labutment portion for engagement with a faceof said flange while a projecting portion of the workpiece extendsbeyond said abutment portion, said generally cylindrical member having aflangeaccommodating portal opening radialwise into saidangeaccommodating cavity and a radial slot extending from said cavityaxialwise through said abutment portion, whereby the flanged workpiecemay be advanced sidewise While in an attitude parallel to the axis ofsaid cylindrical member to a position in which the workpiece iiange isdisposed in the aforesaid cavity of said member adjacent to itsaforesaid abutment portion and the projecting portion of the workpieceextends axially therebeyond, and a tapered pin member actuated by iiuidunder pres-` sure into engagementwith a central tapered recess in theflanged end of the workpiece to center such end and strongly urge theworkpiece flange into contact with the abutment portion of saidrotatable member.

2. Rotary work holder apparatus for clamping and centering one end of anaxle having a ange at such end and a shaft portion extending axitllytherebeyond, comprising a generally cylindrical rotatable member havingv a cylindrical tlange-accommodating cavity for disposition of thellange of the flanged axle and having a circumferentialiy-distributedinwardly-extending radial abutment portion for engagement with aface ofsaid flange while the shaft portion of the workpiece extends axialwisebeyond said abutment portion, said generally cylindrical member having aliange-acommodating portal opening radialwise into saidiiange-accommodating cavity and a radial shaft-accommodating `slotextending from said cavity axialwise through said abutment portion,whereby the flanged axle workpiece may be advanced sidewise while in anattitude parallel to the axis 'of said cylindrical rnernber to aposit-ion in which the workpiece flange is disposed in the aforesaidcavity of said member adjacent to its aforesaid abutment portion whilethe workpiece shaft portion extends axialwise therebeyond, and a taperedpin member actuated by iiuid under pressure into engagement with acentral tapered recess in the rlanged end of the axle to center such endand strongly urge the workpiece flange into contact with the abutmentportion of said rotatable member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS `2,051,965 8/36Roth 279-89 2,381,143 8/45 StriCkland 219-1067 2,686,683 8/54 Fausel279--89 2,849,907 9/58 Moosman Y 269-25 2,896,487 7/59 Scale 269--25OTHER REFERENCES German printed application 1,030,656, May 22, 1958.

ROBERT C. RIORDON, Primary Examiner. MARCUS U. LYONS, Examiner.

1. ROTARY WORK HOLDER APPARATUS FOR AN ELONGATED WORKPIECE HAVING AFLANGE AT ONE END, COMPRISING A GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL ROTATABLE MEMBERHAVING A CYLINDRICAL FLANGE-ACCOMMODATING CAVITY FOR DISPOSITION OF THEFLANGE OF THE WORKPIECE AND HAVING A CIRCUMFERENTIALLY-DISTRIBUTEDINWARDLY-EXTENDING RADIAL ABUTMENT PORTION FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH A FACE OFSAID FLANGE WHILE A PROJECTING PORTION OF THE WORKPIECE EXTENDS BEYONDSAID ABUTMENT PORTION, SAID GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL MEMBER HAVING AFLANGEACCOMMODATING PORTAL OPENING RADIALWISE INTO SAIDFLANGEACCOMMODATING CAVITY AND A RADIAL SLOT EXTENDING FROM SAID CAVITYAXIALWISE THROUGH SAID ABUTMENT PORTION, WHEREBY THE FLANGED WORKPIECEMAY BE ADVANCED SIDEWISE WHILE IN AN ATTITUDE PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OFSAID CYLINDRICAL MEMBER TO A POSITION IN WHICH THE WORKPIECE FLANGE ISDISPOSED IN THE AFORESAID CAVITY OF SAID MEMBER ADJA-